Sharks feeding off Lombardi's leadership

Published 4:00 am, Saturday, April 18, 1998

SAN JOSE - It isn't his style, but Sharks general manager Dean Lombardi is entitled to take a bow. Oh, he wouldn't want to hear that. His goal is to eventually bring a Stanley Cup to San Jose.

But big accomplishments start with small steps, and the fact that the Sharks have finally qualified for the playoffs after two years of ineptitude is an indication things are headed in the right direction.

Lombardi has had a big hand in turning the club's recent fortunes.

"We very much wanted to make the playoffs this year, but the plan all along has been to build for the future," team president Greg Jamison said. "And if the present comes quicker, which makes it always a lot more fun, well then, that's where we are."

The Sharks close out the regular season at the San Jose Arena against Calgary on Saturday night. They will likely open a best-of-seven first-round series in Dallas on Wednesday. Only a San Jose victory coupled with a loss by Edmonton to visiting Toronto on Saturday would allow the Sharks to finish seventh and create a playoff matchup against Colorado.

For many, the future can't get here fast enough. The Sharks had languished in last place in the Pacific Division the last two years, also finishing second-to-last overall in consecutive campaigns. Players and coaches would come and go, but the one constant was Lombardi, eventually labeled an embattled executive.

A misconception existed. Yes, Lombardi has been with the franchise since its inception eight years and seven seasons ago, but he's only had the power to act as GM since March 6, 1996. Previously, Lombardi was part of a front office that shared decision-making but rarely agreed on a direction.

With Jamison's appointment as team president on Feb. 27, 1996, and Lombardi's subsequent promotion, that changed.

"Dean has done a very good job," Jamison said.

"Everybody knows his work ethic is real high, but then there's the idea of creating a plan that works for everybody. It's a real challenge to be a general manager in hockey, or any sport, when you're balancing salaries, your team chemistry and the future."

Lombardi inherited quite a project. He restructured the scouting department because Lombardi felt the team's eventual success would depend on the talent it could draft. He surrounded himself with experienced hockey minds including John Ferguson, the since-departed Don Maloney (Rangers assistant GM) and former team captain Doug Wilson. Lombardi put Tim Burke in charge of amateur scouting.

The Sharks no longer draft as gamblers with an eye only on the foreign market. With Burke and Lombardi calling the shots, San Jose has plucked potential stars Andrei Zyuzin, Patrick Marleau, Marco Sturm and junior standout Scott Hannan from the first round in the last two years.

Burke, with similar experience in New Jersey, said it can take 10 years to build an efficient minor-league system. So while the team's base develops, Lombardi is reshaping the major-league roster. Realizing the Sharks don't possess superstars at any position, Lombardi determined the best way to compete was to plug holes with players that play hard, have a track record of success and possess leadership qualities.

To underscore the immense roster turnover, only Owen Nolan, Jeff Friesen, Marcus Ragnarsson and Mike Rathje were with the team prior to the start of Lombardi's reign.

"He's established a plan and we've executed it," Jamison said of his GM. "We've got people coming, we've got veteran people here and we have young people here. That bridge we built a couple of years ago has worked well because it's brought the franchise credibility."

With so many changes can come mistakes, and Lombardi admits one he made was the hiring of head coach Al Sims before last season. He recognized the problem quickly, however, and replaced the fired Sims with one of the league's most respected coaches, Darryl Sutter.

Sutter had the same overachieving, hard-driving traits as a coach Lombardi was searching for in players. Sutter gives Lombardi credit for a job well done, but admits there are times the two butt heads.

"Sure, lots of times," Sutter said. "That's healthy, too. If everyone's always agreeing with each other, there's a good chance nothing is really happening. I think he's done a great job."

The job is far from done. The team's long-term success will hinge on whether draft picks not only turn out, but also rise as top-flight NHL stars. And Lombardi will constantly be looking to plug holes the way he has the last 25 months. At least, though, the Sharks are shedding their laughingstock image.

"We know what's happened in the past. That's been well-chronicled," Jamison said. "For people to see where we're trying to go and what we're trying to accomplish is important. I think if they see that, and they can see the excitement in this team and the leadership around it, that is the key."

Thanks to his moves, San Jose

is playoff-bou&lt;

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